Jacana Amazon Wellness Resort

Decided to spend a weekend with my wife and son here before a month long trip. Keeping in mind that it cost over US$ 300 per night which is more than an average HILTON, MARRIOTT, or HYATTT; there was quite a lot to be expected. Unfortunately, the issues began at check-in. It was not a smooth experience, and both check-in assistants seemed not to be adequately proficient in the English language. They did not explain some of the amenities the hotel offers, and more importantly the operational procedures of the hotel. (I later had to learn that the hotel does not accept deposit by credit card). We settled into our room which was clean, spacious, and well furnished. What they could improve were the pillows. Either the quality of the pillows was inferior, or they had already been used for quite a while. We then descended to the pool area for a swim. The pool itself is the highlight of this resort. The pool is designed as a watering hole in the amazon; so it is surrounded by rock and bush formations. It even has a multi-cascade waterfall which covers a grotto. Last but not least is the full service swim-up bar. As nice as it was, the area was over crowded and seating around the pool seemed to be taken-up by walk-in guests. The main issue though was that there seemed to be a clear lack of coordination and understanding between the waiters, bar-men, kitchen, and administration staff. The waiters were heavily understaffed which led to confusion, long waiting times, and small ques. For dinner, we decided on ordering room service as we were already tired and phased out from the day. They offered room service from both the café at the swimming pool, or from the main grill restaurant. The menu was varied, allowing it to cater to your specific taste, and the food quality and presentation was impressive. Overall, its not a bad property. It is just that the quality of the staff and coordination really need improvement.....if not, then it is not worth the prices the hotel asks.

Arrived to the airport from Miami around 01:00 am June 30 and was really looking forward to staying at Jacana as I had heard very good things about the place. After waiting for my luggage and getting through customs I took a taxi to Jacana, arriving around 02:30 am. The gate was closed and the place was quiet but I was finally able to get the attention of a security guard who opened the gate. I explained to him that I had a reservation and he said that nobody was here to check me in. He then looked around and found a piece of paper with my name on it and a card key for a room, the room number appeared to be "308", but could have been "302", or something else..............we ultimately tried the card key on ALL rooms with a "30x" and it didn't open any of them. I had arranged for my vehicle to be delivered there the previous day, which it was, and after 40 minutes of trying to get into a room the security guard found the key to my vehicle and I arranged a room at another hotel and left, finally arriving at the alternate hotel around 03:30 am. I have experienced similar situations over the years where I have arrived at a hotel very late at night but it was never an issue because there was instructions left on how and what to do upon arrival, as well as a contact number to use in the event of a problem, in these instances there never was a problem and things worked out fine. I am giving this place a 1 star review simply because of the lack of communication, I did not stay there, although I really wanted to. The little I did see of the place in the dark was stunning and I would like to experience it sometime in the future and at that time I will write another review.

Spent my birthday weekend there. The room was clean and comfortable. Continental breakfast was filling. The hotel staff was professional and helpful in resolving a conflict in prices with our booking company Prestigia. The eco style ambiance and the pool was beyond my expectations. Just a few things I was disappointed with were the public use of the pool. There was no access to the gym nor was I able to experience the spa. I specifically chose this resort because of access to a gym and wellness spa package. Hopefully these issues can be resolved.